Day 14-17 — Rome

Today's gelato flavors (I'm still going to do this even though Irene said it was bragging, I just view it as an important part of the Italy experience to impart to people back home): for me, Kinder (as in the eggs) and Nutello (it was sort of a candybar day for me); for Irene, Chocolate with chilly pepper and chocolate. We got these flavors at a place around the corner from the Vatican, and they were pretty damn tasty.

And that's what we did today, The Vatican. We got a bit of a late start because we had to get up so early yesterday, but according to the guide books, it does you no good to get there early as it's even more crowded first thing in the morning. So we got to St. Peter's Bassilica around 9, and there was plenty line to get it, but fortunately it moved pretty quickly, 20 minutes tops. We did the Rick Steves' audio tour of the place (which is enormous, they have markings on the floor to show how the next largest cathedrals would fit inside).

We decided to grab lunch before going to the Vatican museum. Here's a tip for a cheap lunch most anywhere in Europe: donner kebab. They are large, tasty and filling and I wish someone would open a donner kebab place in our neighborhood.

When we got to the Vatican museum after lunch there was no line at all, which was very nice. Now the last time I was here it was on the free sunday of the month and was incredibly crowded. Plus we only had a limited time until it closed so we made a bee-line through the museum straight for the Sistine Chapel, not stopping at all to take in the museum. This time Irene and I had time to take it a little more slowly.

But honestly, after awhile all those greek and roman statues start to look alike. And whoever curated the modern art collection... The Sistine Chapel doesn't dissapoint though.

So now I'm in a laundry/internet cafe and Irene is back at the hotel. We are going down to the Trastevere area tonight to poke around and for dinner.

Tomorrow is ancient Rome day, the colluseum, the forum, maybe the pantheon as well.

I can' beleive we only have two days left. It hardly seems fair. Oh well, time to start planning the next trip, to Spain.